Understanding GST

It is important for both patients and doctors in understanding the potential effect of GST. Doctors in private practice, are likely going to be hit the hardest. The tonnes of paperwork as alluded in the article, can be daunting and takes away precious moments from the actual practice of medicine.

I am certain that soon there will be many freelancers, purported experts in GST, offering services for the purposes of taxation and GST-related processes. Doctors of private clinics are likely to enlist their help to avoid hefty fines should they report incorrectly. Their fees are not likely going to be cheap.

Patients are not going to be immune to increase in healthcare costs. Although not an expert in economics, it is certain that costs will incline rather than the opposite. Many opponents of GST are of the opinion that perhaps the Government should display prudent spending first before burdening the people with heavier taxes, only to be wasted by incompetent officers and politicians. The alarming reports of the Auditor General often goes unheeded, much to the chagrin of the public.

We are against the implementation of the GST for the sole reason of the continuing existence of wastages and poor financial accountability of government agencies. Failure to tackle this fundamental issue will only point to the failure of GST in resolving the financial woes that the Government of Malaysia is so desperate in resolving.

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Editorial

The newly minted Health Minister, Dr Dzulkefly, has announced the setting up of an advisory council for the Health Ministry to help with charting the future direction of healthcare. It will likely be a mix of experience and youth as we barrel towards to a new decade.